From: Shawn
To: Frances
Sent: Tue, 10 Jun 2008 10:59
New Lingerie Company
Hello Frances,
My name is Shawn Herron and I am an Entrepreneur. My wife and I are opening a lingerie line by the end of the year. My situation is somewhat different then you are probably used to so I will try and explain it as best as I can. I am looking for some guidance into what your company can and cannot help us with and any specific resources that you offer for someone in my situation.
So here we go...
Our Strengths
- Our designs are made by my wife Juliana and her mother, they currently have 30+ high end designs ready for year one (Bras and Panties, Wedding Sets, Baby Dolls, Corsets, and Bathing Suits).
-We are handling all Business Startup issues (Corporation, Trademark, Contact List, etc...)
- Her family owns a manufacturing company and will handle all things pertaining to the orders. Their family has over 20 years experience
- We are creating our company in their homeland in the country of Colombia and will have to import to here
- We will have our catalog ready by Nov/Dec
- We can handle all orders in less than 1 month delivery time (They can handle very large orders)
- We plan to sell our lingerie to specialty stores in the US, Europe, and Colombia (and other South American Countries later on). Her family is well aware of the process of shipping products to the US
- Will be taking a 40 day visit to Europe in Spring of '09 to develop contact list and make sales
- We can speak English, Spanish
Things that will limit us
- I am in the Military, currently deployed to Afghanistan until January '09 so all study and contact will be from here. This limits some of my time, but not all. I have a state-side telephone number and I can make calls as well. I have been researching info everyday for the past month on top of my regular work here in the service
- We will have roughly $35,000 - 40,000 dollars of our savings for our budget initially. Could possibly borrow money if needed or ask family.
- Even though I have a bachelors degree in IT, I do not have experience in Business, however I am good at dealing with people, resourceful, and am very motivated to learn everything I need to be successful
- Marketing is a concern
- Budgeting properly is a concern
- Branding is a concern
-International Sales is a concern
-Website functionality is a concern
I would be open to being mentored; however it has to be done by phone, email, msn messenger, etc. so you can see most of the limitations are business pointed toward my lack of experience. How much money do you believe we would need initially? Do you have any special programs for Veteran Mentoring? Do you know anyone who does? What are the costs for the services of you company? Any other information will be very helpful if you have something that I didn't list
Thank you very much for your time
Shawn
RosaBella Lingerie
From Frances
To: Shawn
Subject: New Lingerie Company
Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2008 21:00:34 -0400
Hi Shawn,
I am sorry for the delay in replying but I have been traveling in Europe.
You have A LOT going on here! Too much for you to handle with little experience and lack of funding.
I would be happy to talk to you on the phone and wave the fee for a free session.
Do you have my book Fashion for Profit, Costing for profit and Brand Building for Profit? If not you should start there as I wrote them for people like you and your wife starting a business within the apparel industry.
Once you have read them, then you can write your questions down so that we may be able to find a time to talk on the phone.
From: Shawn
To: Frances
Dated 7/8/2008 11:40:32 A.M.
Hello Frances,
I read all of your books this past week. Wow! It was definitely worth the investment, and then some. Thank you for writing these valuable tools and for agreeing to speak with me. I would like to take an extra week before we talk to go through my notes from your books, crunch some numbers, and start putting my business plan into a better format.
What time/day would be good for you to talk next week? If you give me a few options I can look to plan my regular work day around one of your openings.
Thank you once again,
Shawn Herron
From: Frances
To: Shawn
Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:05:56 -0400
Hi Shawn -
Could talk tomorrow after 3pm or on Wednesday after 4pm. Or next week, which is better for me. Can you wait?
Regards,
Frances
Hi Frances,
I have no problems waiting until next week. I will have more time next week also. And more time to prepare. What times are good for you? I will do my best to be free. I'll continue working until then so I can give you a really good idea of what we are planning to do.
Have a great week,
Shawn
From: Frances
To: Shawn
Date: Sat, 19 Jul 2008 02:03:10 -0400
Dear Shawn,
It was a pleasure to talk with you in Afghanistan this afternoon!
Sitting conversing with you from the comfort of my own home here in beautiful Southern California through your Skype service, when you are sitting in 115 degrees in Afghanistan; Shawn, it made me realize I will really try to help you and your wife as much as I can with your new apparel adventure.
I am also cc-ing a number of my industry colleagues and FBI board members. Although I never bet, (as leave that to my husband), I am betting that they will rally around you and your new company to help provide you with some of the resources that will lead you to understand what you need to think about to run a successful apparel business.$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ & then more $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
I was moved by your entrepreneurial excitement in your wife's creative abilities to create a sexy bedroom line of clothing. And, as you explained, you have a winning team; you have the other half of the equation with your business drive and mind.
So, I hope that between us all we can assist you to create a business that will be rewarding and profitable.
Over the past ten years since founding the FBI, I have enjoyed some wonderful relationships with a number of amazing organizations and entities. One of those entities, Joyce Eisenberg, owner of the New Mart Building, home of the FBI and the FBI's founding patrons has granted for the third year to the FBI funds for us to provide scholarships, which would include funds to cover FBI memberships and FBI training.
Well, Congratulations Shawn!
The Fashion Business Incorporated is proud to award you the Joyce Eisenberg FBI scholarship in the amount of $1,000.00, which will give you the advantage of both free FBI membership and training.
As I stated on the phone, I will do my best to help you and your new company through my own long and colorful experiences and via any connections I have with my likeminded colleagues.
The FBI has the resources and connections to provide you with some free mentoring for the beginning of a new very viable business.
Please provide your full name and information to Darlene my assistant and we will add your name to our membership list data (membership $250.00) and will give you the rest of the $1,000.00 as $750.00 credit for training or consulting time.
How about checking out our online training. Go for my online seminar first on starting our own business, this will then give you a good overview. Then check out some of our other amazing online training course that are now available to you.
If you wish to call next Friday at the same time as today you should be able to reach me on the same number as I work from home most Fridays.
Kind regards,
Frances
From Shawn
To: Frances
Date: 7/19/08 05:00:02
I AM SPEACHLESS! I never imagined anything like this. I still can't fully believe it. Wow!!!
My wife is so happy right now. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! We are going to work so hard to make sure not to waist anyone's time. My wife says THANK YOU as well.
I will definitely plan to call you next Friday with an update and I will write your coworker and start taking advantage of these classes.
Thank you Thank you Thank you, I can't say that enough.
Shawn and Juliana
From Shawn
To: Frances
Date: 07/22/08 16:53:55
Hello again,
this past weekend my wife and I have discussed what our next move should be. We are both in agreement that Juliana and her Mom will attend the Lingerie Americas Trade Show in New York Aug 3, 4, and 5th 2008. Frances has expressed that this is the best way to know if your designs will measure up and find out if there is a market for our merchandise. 75% of all buyers at this trade show are from boutiques. That is our targeted segment and we believe this is our best option. Juliana will also visit the Show in Las Vegas on the 25th, 26th, and 27th.
My wife has set up a photo shoot for tomorrow and is creating a "look book" for their top 6 designs so they can show their work and receive some feedback even though we won't fully participate. We will not have a stand this year, but January is a possibility to begin selling. It depends on what they see from the competition and the feedback from Buyers and Sales Reps. They will also stay in the NY after the show and hopefully can meet with future clients and show their actual garments to receive even more feedback.
We would like to know if there is a chance to visit FBI, in Los Angeles, to receive design consulting between the 18th - 22nd of August. My wife will have a better understanding of what direction we should go after the "Lingerie Americas" show and we feel this would be the perfect time meet with FBI and associates in order to receive design/ planning advice. My wife can also apply the information she learns from FBI to the Second show beginning on the 25th.
Thank you again,
Shawn and Juliana Herron
From: Frances
To: Shawn
Date 07/25/08 14:12:02
Shawn,
I will be in town on the 18th August.
Kind regards,
Frances
From: Shawn
To Frances
Date: 07/29/08 10:01:23
Hi Frances,
My wife just got to Philadelphia from Colombia where my family picked her up. My family is driving her up to NYC on Sunday Morning for the first day of the Lingerie Americas Trade Show. Unfortunately, the show's workers said that we cannot use any publicity at the show so my wife is going to have to get creative in finding ways to interact with the sales reps and boutique owners at the show. She knows that she needs to check out the competition and make sure that we measure up. She will be there for 6 days and try to show some of her samples to potential clients in order to receive feedback. It should make for an interesting week. I'll keep you posted.
Shawn Herron
From: Frances
To: Shawn
Date: 3 Aug 2008 11:41:18 -0400
Hi Shawn,
Please tell your wife that she cannot push her product when at the show as they will get mad. She can get the show directory for the sales reps info but not the buyers list.
If you have time do you want to post the emails on both blogs? Or, do you want me to?
Thanks
Frances
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